20 ordinary things to do in 2013: Now is the time to…

I’ve been sitting on some pretty darn exciting news. I’m going to be an Aunty. My little sister is having a baby! A fresh, new little BABY. Hubby is an only child and my siblings are taking their time in the baby-making stakes… so I have been waiting for this moment forever. The moment I could have endless cuddles and newborn baby moments, and then hand the baby back so others can deal with that pesky night-time stuff. Being an Aunty is going to be fun.

Lacey is just as excited, although she’s struggling to wait the whole nine months, “Is that baby coming out now?”

So that’s my main thing I’m looking forward to this year. Meeting that new little person that we’re welcoming into the family. I’ve put 20 other things I’ll give a good go this year {you might like some too}, cos now is the time to…

1. Talk to a stranger
At the shops this morning I saw a guy having a few troubles breathing. I stopped and checked that he was alright. “Don’t ever smoke!” he called out and assured me he was OK. I went and checked my mail and on my way back I noticed he’d made his way back inside. Lacey and I stopped for a chat. He was so grateful. So was I.

2. Dance to your favourite song
Close the curtains, turn up the music and dance like no one is watching. {We don’t bother with the curtains personally!}.

3. Plan a holiday
Right now I’m planning a loooooong way off holiday to Disney World. It may not even happen but the planning is fun. Otherwise a cheap-as-chips weekend getaway to anywhere really does recharge the batteries.

4. Write a Thank You card
I just sent off a batch of 8 Thank You cards to people I know. I hope it brightens their day. I’m going to try and do one a week this year.

6. Create an inspiration board
I’ve started on mine. I’ll show you when it’s done.

7. Move the furniture around
My mum and my aunt used to find joy in doing this all the time. We should try it too?

8. Sleep upside down
Before we had Lacey I kinda forced Hubby to sleep upside down one night. You know put your head where your feet go. He thought I was weird. But we woke up and laughed. What a way to start the day. {Seriously I might be nuts}.

9. Invite your neighbours over
We’re pretty darn lucky to have fab neighbours. We’re all pretty social, but I’d love to have them all over to ours one day. It’s on the to-do list.

10. Go swimming
Whatever the weather, swimming is pretty fun. I’m going to start doing laps in our local pool this year. I’m nervous because I don’t have great style or swimming fitness… but who cares?

11. Stop dwelling on the negative
I’m a thinker and the negative can often eat up more of my thoughts than the good stuff. I’m trying to stop dwelling and focus on the good instead.

12. Embrace simplicity
My usual way of living is to say yes to everything and then figure it all out later. This year I’ve started thinking first, saying no sometimes and embracing simplicity. I find saying no really hard, but I find being stressed and frazzled harder.

13. Stop
Over this silly season I took some days and just stopped. I did mind-numbing things like play jewel blitz and lie on the couch. I even napped in the afternoon. Unheard of! But I felt so good afterwards.
14. Take care of yourself
Last year I saw an ace Naturopath who got to the bottom of a lot of things. Taking care of yourself might mean different things for different people; going to bed earlier, exercising daily, drinking 2L of water a day…

I started a herb garden this year! It was my Christmas present, along with Jamie Oliver’s 15 Minute Meals and the plan to cook more. Ridiculously excited about it. I’ve already made pesto twice when I was too lazy to cook anything more than pasta.

I just read a book called 365 thank you’s. it was wonderful. My first thank card was to our cleaner at work. Who was close to tears as in the 22 years of cleaning our building no one had ever given her a Xmas card or a thank you card. It was wonderful.

I just read your post and I loved it all and I am totally going to do some of these things but all I keep thinking is OMG your going to be an aunty…… Huge Congrats to little sis, I am so so excited for her. I look forward to hearing how it’s all going and please pass on my congrats to her. Such exciting news, being an aunty totally rocks!!!! I am looking forward to being an aunty again in a few short months. Love to you and Lacey. xx Bee

Love this. Love, love, love it. This year, instead of making huge lofty aspirational resolutions, I’m looking at the small, little things I can do each day – all with the overall goal of “being the best version of me I can be”. There are a couple of things on your list I’ve already started doing (went swimming laps for the 1st time in nearly 10 years yesterday!), but there are some great ideas also to implement.
And congrats on aunty-hood! Such an exciting time for you all xx

Some great ideas! I also love offering to take photos for strangers. Just the other day while on a day trip with my little family I saw a mum and dad with their little girl taking photos, dad taking one of mum and daughter and then mum taking one of dad and daughter. They were so grateful when I offered to take a family snap and it only takes a second!

I have always done this, in the eighties I work at a Casino with a huge mural in the front, I was often asked to take photos, then I go in to the habit of asking. I do it all the time now – drives my kids insane….this also counts as talking to strangers.

Definitely. Fresh flowers make a big difference. I haven’t found a good place to buy them up here yet – so I’ve had to buy them from the supermarket. That might be a resolution – to find a good market selling flowers!

Thank you for my Christmas card and gift lovely. Have been meaning to thank you personally. xxx

I haven’t checked in here for a while and just wanted to let you know something heartfelt. a) I love how your blog has evolved. b) I think you have nailed this blogging biz and c) I find your ideas quite inspiring. Congratulations on where blogging has taken you – I truly think you do live life inspired and inspire others. Sharnanigans X

I love your list Chantelle! I do a few of these things already but you’ve given me some great ideas and I might just have to write one up for myself now. And, congrats on being an Auntie soon. I think being an Aunt is the best gig possible!!!

You my gorgeous …… are getting me back on track.
Last year was a bit of a fizzer of a yr for me, damn it I am going to get back on track being me again before I hit 40!! ( aherm in two yrs!) ( errr actually check that next yr OMG!!!!)

My plan is to read more books. Towards the end of last year I started carry one around in my handbag wherever I went. It comes in handy when you are waiting around to pick someone up or for someone to finish dancing. You’d be surprised what you can achieve in the wasted waiting time.

1. done 2. don’t dance, but I’ll give it a go! 3.Planning a getaway for our tenth wedding anniversary in May! 4. Does and online thank you email count? 5. Tried several new recipes lately cause I’ve taken over the cooking of cakes and slices for our cafe from Peter’s mum who is not well enough 6. On pinterest? or hard copy? 7. Yes, need to 8. Actually did this just the other night when the top end of the bed got too hot! 9. Need to do this again this year! 10. definitely on the to-do list for me too 11. Must do this 12. Another must for 2013 13. I have learnt to do this over the last few years, it has made a huge difference to stress levels 14. This is my major NY’s resolution for this year, because I forget to do it so often 15.Just started watching the Harry Potter series again! 16. Hobby this year is starting my own blogs and I have… 17. Done last week befor garbage night – very satisfying! 18.Ah…. the dreaded five year plan… we are five years through our seven year business success plan… come back in two years please! 19.That’s my hubby’s department, I’m more into flowers! and 20.One of my favourite Dr Seuss quotes – I try and sometimes I succeed and get myself into all kinds of trouble – “Oh bother,” as Pooh would say!

Absolutely love this list. I can’t wait to try sleeping upside down makes me laugh just thinking about it. My husband and I used to drag our mattress into the lounge to watch movies and then camp there for the night. Fun to mix things up

Seems I don’t need to plan to sleep upside down as when I am having bad dreams I tend to wander all over my bed and wake up in various, strange positions
I like that list – makes one remember what’s really important and feels much better than all the resolutions one never really attempted to try to keep.
And loving the Dr Seuss quote!

How funny that some of these were on my list before I read the list…,and some I have already done (and do consistently) YAY for this wonderful list of ordinary things to do-if you do them just right they are pretty extraordinary!!!

Love this post! My ordinary thing to do in 2013 is to wash my face every morning. Sounds easy and simple, but ever since I became a stay at home mom doing anything for myself feels like a luxury, it doesn’t always happen.

#11 & 14 – that’s what I need to do this year. Because I was focusing on the negative – my soon to be x-husband was downloading homosexual porn… and I caught him at it late Sept – and I started to believe life wasn’t worth living – so i focused on the negative. I moved in with my parents, and started letting myself go. So bad I spent this past weekend in an inpatient facility… trying to convince myself life was worth living…

So, I’m gonna work on just those 2. That’s all the energy I have.

But – I have started working on positive thoughts!!!! I now concentrate on my new mantra – “I must be one helluva woman – cause I kept a gay man happy for 17 years!” Of course, we were married for 23… the last 6 weren’t good – but I’m done focusing on those years – I’m gonna focus on the first 17, which even he admits were good! So, how many women can say they satisfied a gay man for that long???

So, Look Out World – Julie Is Back and soon will be coming atcha! Because I’m going to work on #11 and 14!

great twenty ones. busy realizing many of those. haha maybe except sleeping upside down. my hubby is a quite upsidedown person, but when it comes to sleep. haha maybe when we are camping this summer. lets go crazy :-))